Eighth grade Bible teachers often ask their students, "What did Christ do while He was on earth?" Discussion usually includes how Jesus loved the unlovely and served others. But how does this concept come to life for students?

Enter the Center for Student Missions (see www.csm.org), a group that organizes short urban mission trips. "You'll build the church, not just buildings," CSM president Noel Becchetti emphasizes. "Your ‘projects' will be working with people."

Twenty-five students from Redlands Adventist Academy plugged into existing ministries in Los Angeles through CSM. L.A. is sometimes called America's first "third world city," because it has at least 91,000 homeless people. Students and teachers prayed that during their three days and nights in the city that they would develop a heart for service.

On a Friday afternoon in late April, the group arrived at their less-than-posh accommodations — this was a missionary journey, after all. Their hosts took them on a "prayer tour" of the city. As they provided facts about each area, the group would stop and lie face down on the concrete for five minutes to pray.

One stop featured an elementary school where 50 percent of the students are homeless. "It was dark and looked as if every person had a sad story," said one student, noting the 15-foot barbed wire around the property. "Just because people are homeless, it doesn't mean they are worthless," said Megon Pyo.

The group served food to 500 homeless people at the Midnight Mission, which serves the Skid Row community with emergency shelter, food, clothing, and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. The kids also shared "Pastries in the Park" while interacting with the homeless and learning their stories first-hand. "This has changed my life," said Christina Cole.

Some helped in a children's ministry at Alegria, a Salvation Army facility where transitional housing is provided to families made homeless by HIV/AIDS. They also spent time in retirement facilities meeting seniors who would otherwise be living on the streets. On Sabbath, the group visited local Adventist churches.

"I'm going to try and serve God any way I can," said Jackie Chevrier, "and I would love to help at missions around my area."

"Now I'm going to plan to be a student missionary for a year or two," concluded Cody Madsen. "Then I'll know how it feels like to live in L.A."